As businesses across the Asia-Pacific region increasingly pursue digital transformation, the convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) is swiftly gaining traction. This convergence is seen as crucial to enhancing various business outcomes by delivering improvements in innovation, reliability, integrity, and revenue growth. A recent independent survey conducted by research firm Omdia, which gathered insights from 250 business and IT leaders in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, highlights the growing importance of this trend.
Among the leaders surveyed, a significant 48% identified IT/OT convergence as “very important” to business success. Furthermore, more than half (53%) of the respondents anticipate that their IT and OT systems will be fully connected within the next 12 to 18 months. This integration promises to optimise data flow across numerous sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, retail, transport, logistics, and shipping.
However, the urgent push towards digital integration exposes companies to heightened cybersecurity risks. The Telstra-Omdia study reveals that only 13% of North Asian businesses are at an advanced level of readiness concerning IT/OT security measures. A concerning 60% of organisations were found to have only basic preparedness. In particular, the manufacturing sector appears to lag significantly behind, with a mere 38% reporting levels of operational or advanced maturity, attributed to its traditional dependence on manual processes and slow uptake of digital solutions.
Regional performance varies somewhat, with South Korean and Hong Kong businesses showing higher security maturity levels at 52% and 45%, respectively. These figures nonetheless reflect a broader challenge, as 44% of firms on the whole are inadequately prepared for cyber threats.
Cybersecurity incidents are undeniably prevalent in the Asia-Pacific landscape. Data shows that 88% of organisations have endured a security incident affecting OT production environments, while 74% of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure operations trace back to vulnerabilities in corporate IT systems. The conventional approach to cybersecurity, which relies on keeping OT systems isolated from corporate networks, is increasingly deemed inadequate as threats evolve.
In response to these challenges, a notable 73% of organisations plan to fully or partially outsource their IT/OT security needs, with 19% depending on vendor platforms. It is posited that managed security service providers (MSSPs) can help businesses create more comprehensive IT/OT convergence and security strategies. Such partners can contribute significantly to closing the skills gap and addressing budget limitations.
While half of the surveyed businesses employ a designated Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to oversee IT/OT convergence security, communication gaps between cybersecurity leaders and operational teams persist. Often, line-of-business managers maintain primary responsibility for critical systems, which complicates visibility and resource accessibility for IT executives.
The traditional division of responsibilities among IT and OT teams, driven by their respective physical environments, can lead to complications as these systems begin to converge. This segregation may hinder effective cybersecurity practices in crisis situations. Consequently, it is essential for leaders to adopt a convergence strategy that clearly delineates roles and responsibilities while employing an agile and systematic approach to cybersecurity planning.
As the race towards digital transformation accelerates, the integration of IT and OT offers promising pathways for optimising business processes. However, the associated increase in cybersecurity risk underscores the necessity for North Asian organisations to elevate their security measures in response to the contemporary cyber threat landscape. The ability of these businesses to mitigate risks across their increasingly interconnected systems could significantly impact their operational resilience, customer services, and competitive positioning in the future.
Source: Noah Wire Services